Have you noticed that the egg section of the dairy isle has grown tremendously larger in America. The selection is mind boggling now right along with the rise in price. Here is a little help when it comes to selecting the best eggs to add to your cart depending on your preferences.

Organic – the hens typically receive organic feed and are not raised in cages. The feed cannot contain animal byproducts, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, most pesticides and other unsavory ingredients. Although antibiotics are rarely used int eh egg industry, it is POSSIBLE that organic eggs could come from hens that were given antibiotics ( a slight loophole in the regulation system). An organic label does not cover humane treatment of the animals.

Free-Range – the hens producing these eggs were raised or are allowed outdoors. In addition to grains, these hens may eat wild plants, and insects. The quality of the outdoor area, and how often the hens have access to it are not addressed.

Cage-Free – Hens are not bound to cages and have unlimited access to food and water. Conditions vary per facility whether they are outside or inside housing.

Animal Welfare Approved – (AWA) these are from family owned farms that live up to the strictest criteria for hens’ ability to live in their natural state. This label covers both organic feeding and humane living conditions.

Don’t be fooled by the added ingredients and supplements in eggs either. “Enriched” eggs are not necessary unless you know you are deficient it a certain nutrient (i.e. omega 3 enriched, or protein enhanced). By now, you know these marketing labels are often a way to hike up the price or to entice buyers to pick one brand over another. A diet with a variety of foods is the best approach when you are low in one nutrient or another, not an “enriched” or “enhanced” version of a food.

In the hunt for Thanksgiving recipes, I uncovered this great way to upgrade fried rice to include more veggies. I had to share it because sometimes a recipe just needs a little creativity to make it healthier. We will not be eating it with chopsticks at my house, lol, but you get the idea. Simple upgrades can make a huge the difference in the eating clean world. Let me know how it goes.

This weekend at an event, I posed this question:

Which of these has the most sugar?

The contenders were:

1 medium apple

3/4 cup blueberries (approx)

1 serving of Candy Corn (measly 12 corns)

What’s your guess? Before you read on, give us your guess in the comments section.

Did you add your response? What are you waiting for? Join the debate.

Okay, you are clear to read on….The most common response was the candy corn. Some began to question their answer and after some thought, changed it to the Apple. Then there were the ones that felt it was a trick question and went for the blueberries, just because it didn’t seem like the obvious answer.

Now you really want to weigh in, right? The comment section is open for your vote.

Ironically, all three have about the same sugar content,28-30 grams. Here are several things to consider.

Which has the largest quantity in the serving size? The apple is the choice for quantity of food. It has the largest serving size for the sugar content.

Which is the most nutrient dense option? There are two here, the apple and the blueberries. Both have fiber still intact (peel) and are full of quality nutrients and vitamins that will satisfy cravings, keep you fuller longer and give your body the “most bang for your buck.” A side benefit is the fact that these added nutrients will reduce the impact on your blood sugar. When you mix these all together, your blood sugar does not SPIKE as high, thus no downsliding in energy later.

What type of sugar is in each? NONE of the three contain white, processed, sugar. Yes it is true, the candy corn are made with honey. The fruits are primarily natural fructose. So less processed versions of the dreaded “sugar.” Your body will breakdown all three to glucose for cell energy, however, the candy corn will cause the largest spike in blood sugar since it doesn’t contain any other valuable nutrients to slow down the sugar absorption. Hint, energy low the quickest, fastest burnoff also which means you will be hungry much sooner.

This is just the “tip of the iceberg” in Titanic terms for nutrition.

If you would like to find out more about sugar and how to manage it, especially the hidden sources, I am here to help.

I pride myself on bringing honesty into my relationships and that rings true to my professional endeavors also. I approach every client with honesty and integrity. Do I do nutrition right in my life everyday, day in day out? NO! Am I always working to make my nutrition more balanced, yes! Especially in this new “season of perimenopause.” I frequently loose and gain a few pounds, but I always know that I can rev my metabolism to get back to my ideal power to weight ratio. There is not a quick fix, no pill, no instant result unless you want to do it in a manner that will not last. I am interested in ways to keep my weight balanced and hormones healthy for the rest of my life, not just a short term.

I love how one article sums up just how negative thoughts about weight gains and losses can influence health in a nut shell…

“It likely doesn’t surprise you to learn that the mind and the body are intimately connected. But it may surprise you to learn that there is a growing body of research that suggests negative thoughts and emotions can be linked to poor health conditions.

Cynicism seems to be real trouble, for example. A 2014 study published in Neurology linked high levels of cynicism later in life with a greater risk of dementia and this was after accounting for other risk factors like age, sex, certain heart health markers, smoking status, and more.
Cynicism may also be bad for your heart. A 2009 study published in Circulation looked at data from close to 100,000 women and found that those who were cynical were more likely to have heart disease. And the cynical women were more likely to die during the course of the study than those who had a sunnier disposition.

Hostility isn’t such a grand thing to carry either. The journal Stroke found that people who scored higher on measures of unfriendliness as well as those who had chronic stress and depressive symptoms were more likely to have a stroke.
We cannot talk about negative thoughts without mentioning depression. This serious diagnosis can have an impact in several aspects of your health. It has been linked to an increased risk for type-2 diabetes, heart attack and a greater chance of disability later in life.
Emotions are powerful when it comes to our health. One theory is that when you are stressed out or depressed cortisol levels increase making your immune system less able to control inflammation making you more susceptible to disease.
It could also be that people who have a negative outlook are more likely to smoke and drink and less likely to be physically active. A bit of a chicken and egg question and hard to answer definitively.
But all is not lost, Debbie Downer. By changing your perspective, you can change your health. Our brains are constantly creating new pathways and regenerating cells. This process is key to lots of functions including mood stabilization. It is possible to create your own positive pathways.(www.bodyrock.tv/health/negative-thinking-making-sick/#ixzz3fPS76sJQ)

If this rings true to you, then it is NEVER too late to make a change. Being aware of how you are really feeling and stopping that mindless reaching for satisfaction (whether it be the cookie jar or something else) is HUGE. When cortisol levels are high, your weight loss, or fitness and nutrition goals are slowed down. Don’t go one more day thinking this way, but take small steps to recognize the stressors and remove yourself from them or in some cases them from you. That is the down and dirty for today.